NORTHBORO — Amanda M. Millette remembers growing up in town and seeing the beautiful "castle on the hill" each time she traveled along Main Street.

She didn't think too much about it, but she always felt it was kind of a "mystery and an exotic" building in such a small, modest town as Northboro.

It was only a couple of years ago that the 2001 Algonquin Regional High School graduate actually went inside the 128-year-old storybook-like Wesson mansion, where a friend's wedding was being held.

"It was pretty cool. They've kept it pretty similar. It still has the old feel to it that a mansion would have," the 31-year-old married mother of a toddler said.

Last week, Mrs. Millette, after hearing that the mansion, at 167 Main St., is for sale, started a Facebook page in an effort to preserve it. She said she doesn't know how much she will be able to help but she thought something needed to happen rather than just talk. Her biggest fear is that the building could be torn down for new development.

Her parents, Paul and Lynne Derosier, are members of the Northboro Historical Society.

"It's a part of Northboro's history. It's really the only standout," she said. "Everyone knows it. I feel like it should be preserved."

The 18,865-square-foot mansion was built in 1886 as a summer home for Daniel Wesson, a Worcester native, and his wife, Cynthia Hawes of Northboro.

Mr. Wesson and one of his brothers owned a small firearms factory in town and later moved it to Hartford. According to history, after his brother's death, Daniel Wesson began a partnership with Horace Smith. The two moved their Smith & Wesson arms factory to Springfield in 1857. It was there where they made the famed Smith & Wesson repeating action cartridge revolver.

But it was during the Civil War that the business began to sell arms to other parts of the world, making Mr. Wesson one of the wealthiest industrialists in the country.

Mr. Wesson spent $300,000 to build White Cliffs at his wife's request, across the street from her mother's home. The couple spent their summer months at White Cliffs and the rest of the year in Springfield. They died in 1906, within two weeks of each other.

The magnificent home has had several owners. Anthony J. LaCava and his family bought White Cliffs in 1985 for $1.2 million, according to the assessor's office.

It is used as a function facility, and is on the market for $2 million. It has 32 rooms and 17 fireplaces, elaborate woodwork and many stained glass windows. It sits on 6.5 acres.

Michael L. Durkin, of LAER Realty Partners, said the LaCavas have other real estate interests throughout New England that they want to focus on. He said White Cliffs will continue to be used as a function facility until the end of the year.

"The building has beauty. It's not just a landmark for Northboro, but for Central Massachusetts," he said. "In the interest of my sellers, we would really like to see it sold. Who ideally buys it is up to the marketplace. We're not ruling out any viable buyers."

He said he has tried to contact the Wesson family to see if they're interested in purchasing the property, as well as the owners of Lakeview Pavilion in Foxboro, a popular wedding venue that was destroyed by a fire last month. No one has returned his calls.

"Two million is not for the faint of heart," he said. "I'm entertaining a group from New Jersey who wants to keep it a function hall, but you never know how that will turn out."

Representatives of the Northboro Historical Commission and the Community Preservation Committee are also watching how this unfolds.

Norm D. Corbin, vice chairman of the Historical Commission, said he's intrigued by the Facebook page. He said it tells him that people are interested in the property and the outcome of the sale.

"It's gorgeous inside. A true mansion. It had 50 to 60 acres at one point," he said. "The public area is in beautiful condition. But the non-public area really needs some work." He said he has heard that restoration could cost more than $2 million.

He said White Cliffs is one of the more than 200 buildings in town that are more than 100 years old. Before such a historically and architecturally significant building as White Cliffs could be demolished, the process could be delayed for six months while other options could be considered.

One option to preserve White Cliffs would be for the current owner or buyer to agree to have a preservation restriction on the deed. The town has never done that, but Mr. Corbin said based on what has happened in other towns, a preservation restriction could cost $200,000 or more.

"I'm very optimistic that the building won't come down. I'd be very disappointed if it does come down," Mr. Corbin said. "If we shake enough trees, talk to enough people, we should be able to find a way to keep it as it is or improve it."

Contact Elaine Thompson at ethompson@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @EThompsonTG

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